A New Face on the Beach: Stacey Jane's

By R. Stephen Repsys

Atlantic News, Thursday, April 1, 1999

[The following article is courtesy of Atlantic News.]

ALL IN THE FAMILY -- Katy Langille, sister of restaurant namesake Stacey Jane, helps manage the business, pitching in with a smile here while tending bar.[Atlantic News Photo bye M. I. MacDonald]

HAMPTON -- Now that the days are growing longer, summer won't be too far behind. Once the weather gets warmer, sun worshippers don their shorts, tank tops and suntan lotion and head for the beach. And that combination puts a smile on the face of Stacey Jane Lyerla, co-owner of one of the newest restaurants in Hampton, Stacey Jane's.

"Business has been good so far," Lyerla said. "I've been impressed with the number of customers we've had. For a while, I thought we weren't going to survive. Once the summer comes, there will be more tourists in the area and we'll do even better. People love to flock to the beach when it's warm. I'm not sure how many people will come to our restaurant, but I know we'll be busy."

Lyerla said she can't wait to take full advantage of the summer months. "Once it's warmer, we can open our deck that holds 100 people," Lyerla said. "People enjoy eating outside.

April to October will be our busy season."

On Jan. 29, Lyerla and co-owner, Chuck Hughes opened their business on 9A Ocean Blvd., the previous site of the Blarney Stone.

"That was a restaurant with a good following," Lyerla said. "Right now we're still trying to work all the kinks out of owning a restaurant and a lot of this is new to me. But the Blarney Stone mostly catered to Irish students; we want to expand the business even further."

And what makes Stacey Jane's unique? Lyerla boasts of the establishment's specialty, its 10-inch bar pizza.

"I'm from the South Shore originally and those are hard to find around here," Lyerla said.

Other delicious items, she said, include hamburgers, chicken sandwiches, steak tips and turkey tips. And if you're in the mood for appetizers, Stacey Jane's your place. Appetizers on the menu include buffalo wings, chicken fingers; onion rings, clam chowder and chili. On average, the food costs between $5-6. "It's very inexpensive," Lyerla said.

While dining, people can be entertained using the restaurant's pool table, two dart boards and trivia game. Also, every Friday and Saturday night, live entertainment can be found at Stacey Jane's. As for now, no cover charge is included.

"But we might have to charge an admission during the summer if we draw a big act on the weekend," Lyerla said.

Stacey Jane's also houses a bar that seats 100 patrons and a fireplace. "The fireplace was here before and it's very nice," Lyerla said.

While the inside is attractive, Lyerla said it is a challenge to run such an establishment.

"It takes long hours to run a place like this," Lyerla said. "It can be stressful but it's a good kind of stress because I have control of what goes on. But what I like most about the business is the people and the fact that I'm my own boss."

The restaurant business is in the blood of both Lyerla and Hughes.

"We both come from families that have been in the restaurant business," Lyerla, 31, said. Hughes used to run a food stand on Hampton Beach and Lyerla has worked in the hotel and banquet industry for several years, having worked at the Boston Harbor Hotel. She has also waitressed for eight years.